Although the Ontario Regiment was formed on September 14, 1866, its history reaches back several years before that. The Regiment was formed from the nine independent militia companies that existed in Ontario County at that time. The first of these companies was the Volunteer Highland Rifle Company of Whitby, formed in March 1858.

Following the Militia Act of 1855, companies of militia were formed across Canada West and Canada East (i.e. today’s Ontario and Quebec). In Ontario County the process was initiated in March 1857 by Captain James Wallace.

Below, is a transcript of the letter written by Wallace to Colonel Baron de Rottenburg, the Adjutant-General of the Canadian Militia. The handwriting is a little difficult to read, as were many documents of the era. Some words are indecipherable, so I am open to the interpretations of the readers. Note that the letter is one long, run-on sentence.

Wallace had been an officer in the Sedentary Militia since 1846. He was a prominent individual in Whitby – mayor in 1856, editor of the newspaper The Watchman, town councilman from 1855-57 and a building contractor.

Whitby 12^th March 1857

Baron De Rottenburg

Sir

A number of young men in this neighbourhood being anxious to enrol themselves under some party as a volunteer Militia Company have requested me to make application to you for authority to raise such a company under the Act Class B which I now most cheerfully do, trusting & believing that if such power is granted me I can in a very short time raise from 40 to 60 men who will be very unwilling to allow any company in Canada to take the lead of them in a knowledge of, and a willingness to do, their duty.

I am Sir Your Able Sevt

James Wallace

P.S. A Highland Company is thus desired of most of those I have seen & which I (?) (?)

The act mentioned in the letter is the Militia Act noted above. Wallace refers to “Class B”, which were militiamen who were unpaid but were issued weapons and an allowance for uniforms. The Class B companies were formed after the initial group of 5000 militiamen, known as Class A, were enrolled.

The signature block is typical of this era. I have seen even more elaborate ones, such as, “I am proud to be, Sir, your most humble servant.” Different times, eh?

Wallace followed up one year later on March 19, 1858 with a list of men ready to enroll in company. Again, I have made my best attempt to transcribe the letter but his handwriting was even worse this time:

Whitby 19^th March 1858

Sir,

Business prevented me from calling on you as you desired yesterday but I now send you a list of young men I have got to agree to enroll themselves in the “Highland Rifle Company” in this place. The number is not what is required by the Act but had we once a beginning I have no doubt that we can get plenty to volunteer.

For the most of those in the list sent, I have agreed to get their clothing & to take pay for it in 12 (?), (?) 24 (?). I am not anxious to incur much further liability & believe by getting organized it would save me, as them, (?)  (?) who are satisfied that I should get all the clothing (?) see I (?) (?) do with (?) (?) & ask once (?)

If consistent with your regulations I would suggest that you Gazette the company & I would then take steps to organize.

I am
Sir

Your able Sevt

James Wallace

Baron de Rottenburg

We the parties here unto subscribing agree to enrol ourselves under the command of James Wallace of Whitby in Volunteer “Highland Rifle Company” Class B of the Militia Act.

Hugh Felitz	Andrew Harding
William Thompson	Ralph Hodgson
John Pringle	D. Cameron
Robert J. Arnold	Ed Stinson
Henry Connor	James Wilson
Thomas Moody	Hugh Wilson
A. McPherson	Thomas Wilson
Aaron Cameron	James Wilson
A. Cameron	James Young
Jacob Brederr	Thomas Rae
T.W. Robinson	John Mays
Jehoiakim Yurekey	William Stinson
Andrew Bennet	John Hollowell
John Hodgson	James McDonald
Robert Fordyce
James Fraser

The official authorization for the new company was published in the Canada Gazette on April 3, 1858. Militia General Order No 1, dated March 31, 1858 stated:

The formation of the following Corps is hereby authorized, viz:

CLASS B.

MILITARY DISTRICT NUMBER FIVE,

UPPER CANADA

One Volunteer Militia Rifle Company at Whitby, to be styled The Volunteer Highland Rifle Company of Whitby. The number of Privates to be 43.

To be Captain:
 James Wallace, Esquire.

Note that the Militia still used the term Upper Canada instead of Canada West.

Drilling began almost immediately under the command of Colour Sergeant Thomas Robinson. More independent companies were formed in Ontario County in 1862 and 1863. This included another company in Whitby, two companies in Oshawa and single companies in Prince Albert, Greenwood, Uxbridge, Columbus and Brooklin. These nine companies were brought together to form the 34^th Ontario Battalion of Infantry on September 14, 1866.

Rod Henderson

Rod Henderson is the Regimental Historian of the Ontario Regiment. He served as a Sergeant in the regiment and is the author of “Fidelis Et Paratus: The History of The Ontario Regiment RCAC”.